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Spur Line Trail Update, Feb 2016…..

The Spur Line Trail is not completely finished but it is being used every day by more and more people. Even when construction was started and the width plowed and graded, it saved close to 10 minutes walking time from around Duke and Wilhelm to Uptown Waterloo. What a bonus!

Walking along it for the past couple of months we have noticed how many more groups of people use it. There are often 2 to 4 people walking together, sometimes with dogs. They are chatting and enjoying this new route. It is maintained throughout the winter so it is also a safe place to walk when many streets and sidewalks are icy.

Some residents have had questions about lighting levels and the ongoing development of the trail. MHBPNA has been in contact with the Region and we have some general answers:As many people have noticed the lights are now on. They are controlled by photocells that turn them on at dusk and off at dawn. The lighting levels are still being calibrated over the next few weeks. Further “fine tuning” of the lights will happen over the next few months and will be in consultation with residents. We will try to watch the Region’s website for notification about this but feel free to email us, or post on our Facebook page, if you hear about any meetings.

Len’s Mill: Yes, the MHBPNA and everyone else understands the signage is a bit contradictory. The trail appears to go through the parking lot, but the signs tell you to walk around via Roger and Moore streets. The fact is the Region owns the land, but Len’s Mill has used it for parking for years and they are “working it out”. A solution will hopefully be presented to Regional Council in April/May.Is the trail really closed at night like the signs state? This is an ongoing issue because CN is worried about pedestrians and cyclists being too close to the tracks at night but the Region doesn’t agree with this position. It is currently before Transport Canada. Now seriously, many of us walked beside the track at night for many years on the rough hewn trail with patches of mud so now that it is several metres wide and paved it is even more popular at all hours. That is all we’ll say. How do you contact someone at the Region about lighting or something else happening on the trail? The best contact is the Region’s One-Call number: 519-575-4400.